County Corner: Pinellas
"Yard Work" Television Program
By Pam Brown, Pinellas County Extension
"Yard Work" is a three-minute, usually live, TV segment featuring timely Florida-friendly landscaping information that airs Fridays on the local Pinellas County CBS affiliate, WTSP. A recent show survey showed that short educational TV segments coupled with additional Web-based educational material can be an effective vehicle for producing practice change.
A script is prepared and sent to the studio prior to Friday so the important questions will be asked by the "Life Around the Bay" anchor when the segment airs from the Pinellas County Extension (PCE) office gardens. A link from the WTSP Web site to the Pinellas County Extension Web site provides easy viewer access to UF/IFAS publications relative to the week's topic.
A survey on the PCE "Yard Work" Web page using Survey Monkey collected data about practice change by viewers as a result of the program and publications. Results show that 85% of the visitors to the Web site watched a "Yard Work" segment and 71% accessed posted publications. Eighty six percent indicated that the information was very or somewhat useful. Seventy three percent of those responding indicated that they have made positive landscape practice changes, including: using organic mulch in landscape beds, mowing grass at the proper height for type, using slow release nitrogen fertilizer, and using the least toxic method of pest control first.
These results show that short educational TV segments coupled with additional Web-based educational material can be an effective vehicle for producing practice change.
For more information, contact Pam Brown, Pinellas County Urban Horticulture Extension Agent at (727) 582-2112, or go to the Pinellas County Extension Web site.
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